Roaring Fork River Report July 19, 2026

UPPER ROARING FORK - ASPEN DOWNSTREAM TO BASALT

FLOW: 110 CFS below Maroon Creek

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Caddis, Pale Morning Duns, Green Drakes, Blue Winged Olives, Golden Stoneflies, Midges

THE LOWDOWN: 

We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek!  Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Water temperatures have become something to keep an eye on, even on the upper miles of the Fork. Forecasts continue to predict a week of steady rain, but it always seems to start "tomorrow." If the storms do eventually come, we can expect a much-needed reduction in temperature and more agreeable trout. 

Caddis, PMDs and Drakes are all still hatching on the upper Fork, with the best hatches occurring in the evenings (Drakes usually come off the latest). While the sun is high. effective nymphs range in size from #22 midge emergers to #12 twenty-inchers, but typically the smaller the fly the more frequent the eats. So it tends to be with low and clear water.

HATCHES: Green Drakes 12-14, Pale Morning Duns 14-18, Golden Stones 6-10, Caddis 16-18, Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-24

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:

DRIES: Chubby Chernobyl 6-10, Cloud 9 Golden Stone 6-8, Stimulator 12-18, Elk Hair Caddis 12-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, High Captive Dun PMD 16-18, TC Sparkledun PMD 16-18. Melon Quill PMD 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Quill Midge 20, Solitude Hatching Midge Black 22, Bill Fitzsimmons Trailing Shuck Midge 22-26

NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stone 8-12, Prince Nymph 14-18, Griffin's Twenty Incher 12-14, Stott's Raisinette 20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph 18-20, Jigged Hot Orange Bead CDC Pheasant Tail 18-20, Tungsten Rainbow Warrior 20-22, BTS Baetis 20-22, Sparklewing RS2 20-22, Beadwing Midge Emerger Grey 20-22, Pulsating Midge Emerger 20, Freestone Emerger Olive 22, Tailwater Tiny Midge Red 20-22

STREAMERS: Craven's Swim Coach, Barr's Slump Buster, Carlton Banks, Craven's Baby Gonga, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor

HINTS: Fish tend to be down in the fastest, most oxygenated water they can find right now.

MIDDLE ROARING FORK - BASALT DOWNSTREAM TO CARBONDALE

FLOW: 290 CFS at Basalt

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Green Drakes, Pale Morning Duns, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Stoneflies, Sculpins

THE LOWDOWN:

Be a Pain in the A.N.S.! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife

We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek!  Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife

The Fork around basalt has benefited from the increased flow out of Ruedi Reservoir. This stretch of river is the least prone to temperature concerns, often remaining perfectly fishable even through the warmest summers.

Weeks of high, bright sun are never the best for hatches, but we've been seeing great caddis and PMD fishing in the mornings and evenings. The streamer bite has been decent when overcast or low-light conditions exist.

HATCHES: Pale Morning Duns 14-18, Caddis 16-18, Green Drakes 10-14, Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-24

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS

DRIES: Comparadun PMD 16-18, Film Critic PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Double-Hackled Drake 12, HOH Last Chance Cripple Drake 12, TC Custom Sparkledun Drake 12-14, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Traditional Adams 20-22, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24, Collette's BWO 18-22, Purple Haze Parachute Adams 18-20

NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stone 8-12, Prince Nymph 14-18, Griffin's Twenty Incher 12-16, Jigged Tungsten Red-Tie PT 18-20, Tungsten 2 Bead Nymph Olive 18, Jigged Iron Lotus 18, Jigged Hares Ear 16-18, Stott's Juggernaut 20, Stott's Raisinette 20, Barr's Emerger 18-22, Neon Nightmare 22-24, Bling Midge Charcoal/Tan 20-24

STREAMERS: Tungsten Double Mint, Tungsten Thin Mint, Craven's Baby Gonga, Carlton Banks, Circus Peanut, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor

HINTS: Shorter rigs than you're used to will help this time of year. With water this low, suspended rigs through the riffles will save you some money on flies. 

LOWER ROARING FORK - CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD

FLOW: 450 CFS in Glenwood Springs

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10 early in the day, afternoon closures in effect

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Craneflies, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Stoneflies, Sculpins

THE LOW DOWN: 

We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek!  Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Water temperatures are an issue now, so we urge you to carry a thermometer and reel up when that water hits 68 degrees. Technically, voluntary closures only apply to the afternoons, but it's the angler's responsibility to keep an eye on water temperatures and fish behavior mid-summer, regardless of time of day. Limit any time the fish spend out of the water, keeping pictures quick or skipping the showmanship altogether. We can’t control the flows or the temperatures, but it’s up to us to act accordingly to protect our precious resources.

Most of the action on the lower Fork has gone sub-surface. Generally, we are nymphing the center line with small, shiny nymphs. Think about the places where the trout can stay cool and covered in this low, warm water. Hopper-dropper can be effective and lead to some exciting eats on top when the weather is right, but don’t expect to bring them up in numbers to the hopper.

HATCHES: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones, Craneflies, Caddis, Midges, Blue Winged Olives

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:

NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stonefly 8-12, Rust Murder She Wrote 18-20, Tim Heng's BLM 18-20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph Black 18-20, Stott's Raisinette 20, Stott's Mercury Bad Carl Grey 20, BMW Foam Top RS2 Black 20-22, Mercury Bead RS2 Grey 22, Pandemic BWO Emerger 20-22, Freestone Emerger Olive 22, Internal Wire Tube Midge Black/Red 20, Desert Storm Midge Fluor. Orange 22, TC Custom Midge Red/Clear 20-22

DRIES: Rogue Foam Golden Stone 8-10, Egg Layer Golden Stone 6-8, Grillos’ Pizza Delivery 6, Mercer’s Stealth Link PMD 16-18, AK’s Melon Quill 16-18, HOH CDC Thorax PMD 16-18, Quasi-No Hackle PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Parachute Adams 18-24, TC Custom Collette's BWO 20-22, Bill Fitzsimmons' Trailing Shuck Midge Emerger 22-24, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24

STREAMERS: Craven's Swim Coach, Circus Peanut, Grease Monkey, Barr's Slumpbuster, Devourer of Souls, Hansen's Meal Ticket, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor,

HINTS: The best hatches should be seen on cloudier, “crappier” days.

Upper Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09076300&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060 Middle Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09081000 Lower Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09085000